


The Void is Hiring

by LunasWufei



Series: Snippets and Fix-Its [40]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21783475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunasWufei/pseuds/LunasWufei
Summary: Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Harry Potter, and I make no money from this.So, this idea was from a post from another site, requested by a friend on top of that. More of Harry getting awesome powers, and a form of family to call his own. As always, something I have decided to continue to remind people, great liberties are taken. Enjoy.
Series: Snippets and Fix-Its [40]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1556170
Kudos: 94





	The Void is Hiring

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Harry Potter, and I make no money from this. 
> 
> So, this idea was from a post from another site, requested by a friend on top of that. More of Harry getting awesome powers, and a form of family to call his own. As always, something I have decided to continue to remind people, great liberties are taken. Enjoy.

It was one minute to midnight, on October thirtieth, and sixteen year old Harry Potter was sleeping, well, mostly. He was in that semi blissful state of half consciousness. It was why, when the clock struck midnight, and it was officially Halloween, that he was awake for the event that took place. The clock in the middle of the common room struck twelve, and Harry grumbled softly and shifted, when he felt it. 

  
A hand, cold as death itself, from  _ somewhere _ , reached out and went to caress Harry’s hand. In his sleep addled state, all he could remember was one thing: When presented with a hand, You grasp it tightly, knowing that first impressions are important and a firm, confident handshake will establish dominance. The fact that he had heard that from Vernon was not in his mind right now, especially as when he made the gesture, pumping twice for good measure, there was a voice… a voice that chilled him to the marrow in his bones. 

  
  


“ _ You’re Hired.” _ The voice said, and with a blink Harry was no longer in the sixth year dorm on his bed, but in a darkly colored, but well lit office. He was sitting behind a desk, in his pajamas, with a figure on the opposite side of the desk. He heard, more than saw, the grin as the figure spoke. 

  
  


“ _ In all my years, I can say that very few gave such a marvelous first impression, Mr. Potter.” _ The figure said, and Harry shuddered lightly, still chilled. “ _ Ah, yes, my apologies.”  _ The figure went on, and this time Harry felt no chill. 

  
  


“So long in my role, I forget that I have options in how I speak, Mr. Potter.” It said, and Harry nodded, still partially asleep. 

  
  


“Is this a dream?” Harry asked, rubbing his eyes, before absently reaching for his glasses, which appeared in his hand. He put them on then froze, nodding. “Yeah, definitely a dream.” He said, sighing and leaning back. “I knew I shouldn’t have had those chocolate frogs before bed…” He said, more to himself, and then heard a wonderfully warm chuckle from the being in front of him. 

  
“I assure you, Mr. Potter, this is not a dream.” The figure said, before giving a soft bow of his head. “I… well, I have had many names in the years. Overall, however, I am simply The Void, with capitals.” It said, and Harry blinked gently. “I prefer Vacío, my favorite incarnation of my name, I got it in Spain some four hundred years ago, marvelous really. I do enjoy the Spanish language.” Newly dubbed Vacío, Said. 

  
  


“Right… well, um, Vacío… you can call me Harry, I guess.” Harry said, blinking gently and sitting up straighter. “What… did you say about me being hired?” He asked, and then inwardly groaned. He really hoped this wasn’t some magically binding nonsense, like the Goblet, or that stupid… bloody fucking prophecy. 

  
  


“Well, I have been looking for an… assistant of sorts, Harry.” Vacío said, getting up and sitting on the desk, the visage shifting to a suit, tailored and proper, and the features and face going to that of a man in his early forties, at the most. “You see, there are many… many worlds, and I really cannot be in all of them at once, so every few decades I look for an assistant.” He said, beaming brightly. 

  
  


“Don’t think, however, that it’s all work and no play!” Vacío said, still beaming. “I’d be giving you gifts, to go with already being a fantastic wizard.” He said, nodding softly at Harry’s owlish blinking. “Powers of the Void, courtesy of moi.” He grinned, showing two rows of pearly whites. “What do you say?” He asked, looking eager, and Harry fidgeted softly. 

  
  


“I… uh, thank you?” Harry started, before going on. “I’d love to, I guess… but I have so much on my plate already. I mean, I have a stupid prophecy on my head, with a stupid dark lord after me, on top of… well, school.” He said, looking actually rather put out by all of this. “I mean, it’s a lot to put on the shoulders of a teenager, but there we are… not to mention I have to start working towards my N.E.W.T.’s.” Harry said, rambling a bit at the end there. 

  
  


“Hmm… how about I sweeten the deal, then?” Vacío said, getting up. “As a matter of fact, I just toss this in for the hell of it! You’re honest, I like that, and you’re polite about it.” He said, going over to the wall and moving a set of large, gossamer curtains that… Harry did not see before. Then he saw it, the archway that haunted his dreams. The veil of death. Vacío walked in, and Harry flinched, and what seemed like an eternity later, he walked out. He was not alone, however, he had with him the spirit of one Sirius Black. 

  
  


“What?” Sirius said, blinking and looking around the office, and then his semi-corporeal form was knocked into as Harry hugged him tightly. On reflex he hugged back, and Vacío stepped back with a smile. Vacío let the two talk, after embracing and letting their emotions flow out, sitting and enjoying a bracing cup of tea. It had gotten so much better in the recent centuries, he did love visiting Earth, that was for sure. When the two seemed to be a bit more calm, he spoke. 

  
  


“Now, this isn’t me being a right bastard, I won’t just snatch Sirius away from you again.” Vacío said, putting his cup down after another sit. “However, he cannot stay in this realm very long, you see it pains him to do so, his spirit still has unfinished business.” He said, looking at Sirius, who shrugged softly as if not really getting where this was going. “You held onto two things, two desires in death. You wished revenge on the one who set you on this path, and most of all the safety of your Godson.” He said, looking at the two of them, before speaking once more. 

  
  


“Seeing as both are left unfulfilled, mostly the second, you wander through the void until it is taken care of.” Vacío said, leaning back. “But, this is where the perks come in, if you decide to be my earthly assistant, Harry.” He said, smiling. “You get not only the powers of The Void, you get to communicate with Sirius here, anytime you like.” He said, smiling still. “In your mind, you will always be able to speak with him, but every few days you can summon him as he is now, to speak with him. How’s that sound?” He asked, and Harry nodded fervently. 

  
  


“Wait, wait… Pup, are you sure?” Sirius asked, still holding his godson. “This is a lot of responsibility, a lot of power and pressure.” He said, running his fingers through his godsons unruly mop of hair. “I don’t want you overly pressuring yourself, on top of all that nonsense Dumbledork put on you.” He said, and Harry snickered softly. 

  
  


“That’s the beauty of it, Mr. Black!” Vacío said, another bright grin. “The prophecy will cease to bind him to destiny, and though he might have a dark lord on his head, do you think i’d let an assistant of  _ mine _ really be affected by such a… pestering  _ child _ ?” He said, the question at the end more rhetorical. 

  
  


“What… kind of powers would I get? Aside from talking to Sirius…” Harry asked, honestly contemplating this. He… this might be a dream, but it was the best dream he had had in months. 

  
  


“Oh, you’d have to figure that out for yourself. A little… growing experience, but nothing overly dangerous.” Vacío said, holding up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.” He said, causing the two males opposite of him to chuckle softly. “I will not just give you them and have you be overwhelmed, no. You will learn them, grow into them.” He said, nodding and leaning back in his seat once more. “Except for talking to Mr. Black, here, that’s a freebie.” He said, nodding again and then looking at his non-existent watch. 

  
  


“Bah! Look at the time. Now, off you go, Harry. I’ll be in touch.” Vacío said, before he clapped his hands, and Harry woke with a start. He blinked blearily, and groaned softly, just as he felt the sun on his cheeks. Great. Morning. He sighed and stood up, stretching and yawning. Oddly enough, he was… not tired. He blinked again, and looked around, everyone else was still asleep. It was still early enough in the day for that, thankfully classes didn’t start til nine, and it was a slow day today, anyway. 

  
  


Harry went about his morning, and after trying, and failing, to wake up Ron, he went to breakfast. He sat down and started to think about that bizarre, yet wonderful dream he had the night before. It had been part of the best sleep he could remember, and he had a smile on his face all throughout breakfast, even when Hermione sat down with a soft huff. 

  
  


“I am so glad this day is slower.” Hermione said, and Harry nodded gently, still smiling to himself. “What’s got you in such a good mood?” She asked, and did so just as Ron came in and started to pile his plate like a hillock, and then digging in. 

  
  


“Had… a great dream last night.” Harry said, nodding softly. “It was about Sirius, a really… good dream.” He said, and Hermione reached over to pat his hand, not being fake in her sincerity for his happiness, or giving him pity. 

  
  


“That’s great, Harry. It’s nice to see you smiling.” Hermione said, before she berated Ron for chewing with his mouth open, and then they got into an argument about what homework was due that day. Harry ignored it all, he had done all his homework already, and he was trying to decide what type of powers he’d actually have, if they dream had been real. He snorted to himself, waving off the look from his friends when they paused, and got up to get his books for the day. 

  
~TViH~

  
  


Harry was sitting in Divination, using it mostly to meditate and try and make his weak Occlumency skills better, when Prof. Trelawney put her hand on his shoulder. He jumped ever so slightly, and looked up at her, surprised that her glasses were off, and she had an… odd smile on her face. 

  
  


“Do not believe all dreams to be that, Mr. Potter. Some are much more truthful than they appear.” Prof. Trelawney said, and Harry nodded softly. “Return to your meditation, Mr. Potter.” She said, patting his shoulder. Her dark green eyes held something… knowing within them, and he frowned in thought. He went back to meditating, but he had something new to think about now. His next class was DADA, with Prof. Snape, so he had to be sure to be in the calmest state of mind. The man liked to… badger him, on purpose, he knew that. He shook his head softly, on the way to class, thinking about what the Seer that was his professor had said to him. He sat at his assigned seat, waiting for class to begin, a contemplative look on his face. The door opened to Prof. Snape’s office, and he looked up with a neutral expression. 

  
  


“Today we shall be attempting silent casting, and I do mean silent.” Prof. Snape said, glaring. “I will set you off into pairs, and you will start once everyone is separated.” He said, looking around, before getting right to that. He paired Harry off with Theodore Nott, who looked almost eager for this. “We shall start with stunning spells, and shields. Begin.” He barked, and then there was mostly silence, really. A few bits of mumbling here and there, but mostly… silence. 

  
  


Nott tried some spells, more than stunning, but he could not do what he had been told. At most, his wand tip was red for a moment, before it fizzled. When the prof. ordered for the reverse to be done, Harry was surprised when he willed his magic to strike, and it… did. A bright crimson spell, the light of a stunner, flew from his wand and struck the surprised Slytherin. The students all stopped, and Snape swept over, reviving the fallen student. 

  
  


“Mr. Nott, did you hear any words from Mr. Potter’s lips?” Snape asked, and Theodore, still woozy from the stunner, shook his head. He was not in any position to lie right now, and Snape knew it. He got up, helping the student up and turned to Harry. “Five points to Gryffindor, Mr. Potter…” He started, but then turned. “Shield yourself!” He barked, and threw a stunner at the surprised sixth year. 

  
  


Harry was quick to respond, his wand slashing down, the movement for a shield silently producing said shield. Snape raised an eyebrow, the only indication of surprise, before nodding lightly. 

  
  


“Sit at the desk, read up on the next chapter, Mr. Potter.” Snape said, before going back to the rest of the students, who still seemed to be having trouble. Harry did as he was told, and started to read, none but him noticing the tendrils of fading magic around his fingertips and wand. A very faint, but familiar and pleased chuckle in his mind. OK, so… it wasn’t a dream. This would be… interesting. 

  
  


~TViH~

  
  


Harry had a new favorite pastime, aside from people watching and chatting with Sirius in his head. That was trying to unlock his new powers, his new abilities, doing various things. So far, he had not been able to do that. He was not deterred, though, that was for sure. He would either figure it out, or it would come to him. Yeah, he could live with that. He walking down one of the many hallways in the castle, when a thought occurred to him. He had discussed his previous years with his godfather in his mind, and the thought of second year came into his head, followed by everything in regards to the basilisk that was rotting down there in the chamber. He wondered, just how much money it was actually worth. It wasn’t that Harry was exactly hurting for money, but maybe… he could help others with what he got, or something. He blinked, thinking about taking a visit, and then he was in the very dimly lit chamber of Secrets, staring at the very slowly decaying serpent corpse. 

  
  


“Well… alright then?” Harry said, mostly to himself, before he recalled that the hallways had been rather dark. He closed his eyes and concentrated, thinking about it, and when he opened his eyes he was on the other side of the chamber, quite literally stepping out of a shadow. He laughed to himself, and nodded. Oh, this was going to be  _ great _ . He took a deep breath, and then thought about his next destination, before willing himself there. When he opened his eyes, it was to the sight of no less than ten pikes, sharp and deadly, pointed at him. 

  
  


“Sorry! I… I was aiming for the front doors!” Harry said, hands raised in surrender, staring at the armed goblin guards, just in the hallways beyond the front doors of Gringotts. 

  
  


“How did you get in here, wizard?” One goblin asked, clearly in charge as he was in a fine suit. 

  
  


“Through the shadows.” Harry said, gesturing to the wall behind him, that was slightly less lit than the other in front of him. “I wanted to talk to a goblin about getting a… um.” He thought for a moment, thinking back to his Care O.W.L. “Five-X creature rendered down.” He said, nodding. The look on the goblin’s face was full of surprise, and interest. 

  
  


“I see, come with us, Void Mage.” The goblin said, and Harry nodded, walking with the little contingent of warriors down the hall. He was completely unaware of the little bit of havoc that was being caused in his absence, at least to a certain centenarian back at Hogwarts. 

  
  


~TViH~

  
  


Harry, along with a contingent of goblin harvesters, appeared in the chamber of secrets about a few hours later. The goblins looked at the barely decayed Basilisk, and Harry was proud to say that a few of them were in awe. 

  
  


“Magnificent… what a beast.” The head of the goblin team said, turning to Harry. “This beast is at least a thousand years old, what kind of harrowing battle did you fight?” He asked, and they all turned to listen to the tale from the young Wizard. 

  
  


“Uh… I was twelve, I had the sword of Gryffindor and a phoenix?” Harry said, sheepishly, and they blinked owlishly at him, before they laughed heartily. 

  
  


“You are one of a kind, Void Mage. Go about your business, this will take us at least a week, and we have provisions.” The goblin said, shooing Harry away. Harry snickered but nodded, the goblins knew what they were doing. He sighed and was then blinking as he stepped out of a shadow, around the corner from the portrait of the Fat Lady. As he turned the corner he blinked, why… were all the professors in front of the tower? He did a quick  _ tempus _ , to show that it wasn’t that late, really. On top of that, it was a Saturday, he had no classes. 

  
  


“Mr. Potter!” Prof. McGonagall started, after spotting him approaching. “Where is the blue blazes have you been?” She asked, stern eyes locking him in place. “You’ve been gone for several hours, and we’ve been looking all over the grounds for you!” She said, and he blinked. 

  
  


“I… I was in the Chamber.” Harry said, after recovering from the sharp tone. “I wanted to… relax, get away from the stress of my studies, and stuff.” He said, shrugging softly. “I figured… it’s a Saturday, you know?” He said, smiling gently, apologetically. 

  
  


“Albus!” McGonagall said, turning to the headmaster. “You told me he was off the grounds!” She said, now agitated at a new target. 

  
  


“He was, Minerva, I assure you that.” Dumbledore said, looking at Harry, eyes twinkling softly. “Where were you truly, Mr. Potter?” He said, and Harry frowned gently, but responded. 

  
  


“I was in the chamber, like I said, inspecting the Basilisk, to see if there was anything I could get out of it.” Harry said, shrugging softly. He was not exactly lying to the headmaster, but he omitting some details. “Wait… how did you know if I was off grounds or not?” He asked, looking up. “Can the wards do that?” He tilted his head, honestly curious. 

  
  


“This discussion, perhaps, is best continued in my office, hmm?” Dumbledore said, before walking that way, waiting for the others to follow. Flitwick and Sprout went their own way, after telling Harry they were glad he was safe. Harry, Snape and McGonagall however, followed the headmaster to the office. When they got there Harry sat down, and looked at the headmaster again. 

  
  


“As to properly answer your question, Mr. Potter.” Dumbledore said, after sitting down. “I have… several items, keyed to your magical sig-” He paused at the gasp from McGonagall, and the agitated snarl from Harry. “-nature. They are to keep you safe.” He said, glancing over to a shelf with several small, sputtering silver instruments. 

  
  


“Are they keyed to just me? You have no other students with this?” Harry asked, and at Dumbledore’s soft nod, Harry huffed. “Well, I don’t want you to have them.” He said, and just as Dumbledore was about to respond, no doubt in a condescending fashion, Harry’s wand was out and the instruments were shattered with a wordless spell. 

  
  


“Mr. Potter!” Dumbledore exclaimed, the instruments shattered beyond repair. “Those were very intricate instruments, and a bit of my personal property.” He said, a little miffed, but mostly disappointed. 

  
  


“Well, in that line of thought, my magical signature is my personal property.” Harry said, wand away, and arms crossed. “I think I am justified here, Headmaster. You didn’t ask if you could use my magical signature.” He said, huffing gently. 

  
  


“I would say, Albus, that the boy has a point.” Snape, of all people, said. “While… he could have gone about it a different way, a magical signature is very personal.” He said, and shrugged gently when he got a small glare from the older man. 

  
  


“Very well… no points shall be deducted.” Dumbledore said, before looking back at Harry. “Now, my next question: Where were you, really?” He asked, and Harry mentally cursed, before he got a mental nudge to look at Fawkes. There was silent conversation between them, before the phoenix let out a gentle trill. 

  
  


“Alright… alright.” Harry said, leaning back and relaxing. “I went into the chamber, and then thought about rendering it down.” He said, looking up at the headmaster. “Then Fawkes came to me, and he took me to Gringotts so that I could get some goblins to do it.” He said, fidgeting slightly. “They are down there now, they said it’ll take a week.” He finished, and Dumbledore looked to Fawkes, who let out a trill of affirmation. 

  
  


“I see… well, regardless of that fact, you were out of bounds without permission.” Dumbledore started. “Because of this, you shall have two nights detention, starting tonight, with Prof. Snape.” He said, and Harry gave him a rather intense glower. 

  
  


“Fine.” Harry said, standing up. “Can I go now, sir?” He said the last word with agitation.

  
  


“Yes, you may go, Mr. Potter. Your detention starts at eight.” Dumbledore said, Harry leaving, and then he got a glare from Snape. 

  
  


“Yes, because my night is completely free, thank you for asking Albus.” Snape said, before leaving the room with a billow of his robes, McGonagall shaking her head softly. 

  
  


“I could have taken the detentions, Albus.” McGonagall said, and Dumbledore shook his head. 

  
  


“No, I do not believe so. Harry needs to understand that his actions have consequences.” Dumbledore said, and McGonagall hummed before she left. Dumbledore leaned back, popping a lemon drop into his lips, thinking about the path that Harry was going down. 

  
~TViH~

  
  


Harry made it to the DADA classroom at seven fifty five, but he was not empty handed. He knocked, and after a brisk ‘enter’, he did just that. 

  
  


“Before we start the detention, sir.” Harry started, closing the door behind him. “I wanted to give you… kind of an… apology gift?” He said, taking out a small package from his robes and giving it to the professor. Snape raised an eyebrow, but took the package and opened it up. He raised not one, but two eyebrows in surprise, and his eyes might have widened a bit. 

  
  


Most of the basilisk was to be sold, and the galleons given to those who had been affected by it. The meat, however, went straight to the goblins. What was left, mostly hide and the like was to be sold. Harry got a little bit on the side, though, as a gift to the Professor, as he had said. There were two vials of basilisk venom, a jar with what was left of one of the eyes, as well as some saliva and bile from the organs. The last little part of the gift was one of the fangs, crushed up into a delicate powder. 

“Mr. Potter… are you aware of what you have just given me?” Prof. Snape asked, looking up at the young man in front of him. 

  
  


“Yes sir, I am. It comes with no strings, I don’t expect anything from you, it’s just a gift.” Harry said, sitting down. 

  
  


“Indeed?” Snape asked, and at Harry’s nod he hummed. The package was put away, and some papers were put in front of Harry. “I find myself, once again, inundated with dunderheads in my class. Those are quizzes from the first and second year Gryffindors, grade them.” He said, and Harry nodded, picking up a quill and getting to work. He had a small smile on his face, as well, when he heard the package being opened again, Snape couldn’t help himself. 

  
  


~TViH~

It was about halfway through December when another one of Harry’s abilities manifested, it was in his eyes. After shadow-walking so often, it seemed The Void had latched onto him in another fashion, and he was fine with it. The first thing he noticed, with a new type of sight, were the tendrils of shadow and dark magic littered about the castle. He could ignore what he saw, but at will it could be brought right back to him. He was looking around the Gryffindor common room, when he noticed a rather dark tendril slightly waving back and forth in the air. It came not from the walls, or another student, but from outside. 

  
His eyes traced it, and he saw it ending, right inside of Ginny’s head. It was swirling, ever so gently, around her core, and every now and then it would pulse and make one of her eyes darken. He frowned in thought, and then perked up. The diary. He let out a low growl, and then reigned it in, no need to scare anyone. He then noticed, as he was looking how the tendril moved, her eyes latch onto him. That was when something tried to latch onto his core, the tendril had snaked its way to him, but as he was in touch with The Void, it could not latch on without his permission. Decision made, he got up and went to her, noticing her eyes widening in surprise, her cheeks starting to get slightly flushed. 

  
“Hey, Ginny…” Harry started, and she looked up at him, doe eyed and bright smiled. “Would you like to take a walk with me? I want to get out of the stuffy tower.” He said, and she let out a soft squeak before nodding and getting up, before they left the common room. As they walked, he struck up a gentle conversation with her, meanwhile he was testing the magic. Tugging on it gently, to see if he could remove it from her. Every little tug had her slightly flinch, and he frowned softly. 

  
  


They walked towards the DADA classroom, and just as they were going to pass it, Harry stopped. She looked at him, and then giggled as he was on one knee, tying his shoes. He could do it with magic, sure, but he preferred it with his hands. 

  
  


“How is studying for the O.W.L.s going?” Harry asked her, and as she was about to speak he had his wand out, and she was crumpling with a silent stunner. He caught her before she fell to the floor, a wordless levitation charm keeping her there, as he knocked on the door. 

  
  


“Enter.” The slightly agitated drawl of Prof. Snape said, and Harry did just that, guiding the unconscious Ginny inside with him. Snape just raised an eyebrow, as Ginny was laid across one of the triple desks, before Harry spoke. 

  
  


“Over… the last set of weeks, I have come across some interesting new… abilities.” Harry started, making sure Ginny was comfortable. “One of them, Sir, was the ability to see… dark magic. Tendrils of shadow and corruption.” He said, stroking Ginny’s head, inspecting. “Ginny has some of that… remnants from her first year, I am sure.” He looked up. “I couldn’t very well just knock her out and take her to the infirmary, and I figured as you… have such a knowledge of dark magic, you’d know how to help.” He said, and Snape nodded slowly. 

  
  


“You continue to surprise me, Mr. Potter.” Snape said, getting up and waving his wand around the girl, before he frowned gently. “Remnants of soul magic… it had done quite a number on her core, but it has not hindered it.” He mumbled something else, and there was a bit of a grey glow around Ginny. “It has not blackened, so she can still be restored to her normal light coloration.” He said, before stopping. “I hope you are aware, Mr. Potter, that I must inform not only Madam Pomfrey, but the headmaster.” He said, and Harry nodded with a snort. 

  
  


“Yeah, I figured, but I want her to be helped, you know? Don’t want this swept under the rug.” Harry replied, and Snape snorted himself. 

  
  


“Come along, Mr. Potter.” Snape said, levitating Ginny and both of them headed towards the Infirmary. 

  
  
~TViH~

  
  


“I assure you, Mr. Potter, everything will be fine. There is nothing to worry about.” Dumbledore said, after being informed. He was going to be doing nothing, it seemed, and that  _ angered _ Harry. Just as he was about to speak, to really tear into the headmaster, he was halted by Vacio in his head. 

  
  


_ “Just look him in the eye, reach towards Ginny, and yank. It won’t hurt her, quite the opposite, actually. Trust uncle Vacio, hmm?” _ Self dubbed Uncle Vacio, said. Harry nodded slightly, confusing Dumbledore for a moment. Harry locked eyes with the headmaster, and then proceeded to yank as Vacio had said. There was a shocked gasp from a sleeping Ginny, before her whole body shuddered and she smiled peacefully in her rest. 

  
  


Madam Pomfrey gasped herself, and rushed over to check on Ginny, brow furrowing as she ran her scans. She ran them two more times, before she looked up at Dumbledore, and then Harry. 

  
  


“The darkness is gone, and her core and mind is healing at a rapid rate.” Pomfrey said, and then, following further instruction from Uncle Vacio, he turned on his heel and walked out of the Infirmary. Dumbledore made to follow him, but once he left the doors, he turned to his left and slipped into a shadow to the chamber. It was his refuge, and he had to recover from that stunt he just pulled. 

  
  


_ “Oh, it’ll be fine! If anything untoward happens with Mr. Dumbledork, I will get you out of there.” _ Uncle Vacio said, and Harry nodded softly. He then felt the warmth of a hug, having unconsciously called Sirius for just that reason. 

  
  


“Sorry, Sirius, hope you weren’t doing anything important.” Harry said, hugging back, before getting a soft scoff. 

  
  


“Yeah, floating aimlessly through the abyss is  _ super _ important.” Sirius said, smiling softly as Harry walked throughout the chamber. They spoke a bit, and then Sirius left, before Harry slipped through a shadowed wall right into the dorm room. He sat on his bed and took a deep breath, before he got some books out and headed to the common room to study a bit. It seemed nobody really noticed he had left, except for Hermione, who then noticed he came down the stairs. He caught her eye, and she looked to the exit, then at him, and then back. 

  
  


He was just about to speak to her, having come over to her, when she came up to him, wand against his ribs. Her tone was venomous, and her eyes just as deadly looking. 

  
  


“Breathe on me.” Hermione said, growling almost, and Harry blinked. Then it clicked, and he nodded softly, doing just that. She took a small breath, and then coughed lightly. 

  
  


“Oh sweet Merlin, did you eat a whole clove of garlic, Harry?” Hermione asked, stepping back with a wave of her hand to her face. Garlic could hide the scent of polyjuice, but wizards as a whole lacked that bit of common sense, that and he just felt _ right _ , around her. He grinned at her question, and sat beside her on one of the couches in the room. 

  
  


“No, but Dobby made me some of those garlic knots, and he is very generous with them.” Harry said, and she grumbled before they sat down to do their homework. Harry, only really half paying attention, as he wondered just what Dumbledore was going to do. The man could be terribly unpredictable, that was for sure. 

  
~TViH~

  
  


A week went by before a message from the headmaster came to him, apparently he was to come to the office, he had something he wanted to discuss with the teenager. Harry sighed, wondering if it was about the issue with Ginny. Speaking of, he was glad that she was recovering well, to the point that she could talk to him without blushing or letting out soft giggles. Occasionally he would get a blush from her, but that was from unconscious innuendo on his part sometimes, he was a teenager after all, it happened. 

  
  


He shook that from his head, and excused himself after he finished dinner, the headmaster already gone. He went up to the gargoyle, talking the long route, walking like a normal wizard, and thinking. Uncle Vacio said he’d get him out if he was in danger, and he knew it was the truth, but he was still a little nervous. He came up to the gargoyle, and took a soft breath. 

  
  


“Zero Bars.” Harry said, and the gargoyle moved to the side. Harry walked up the stairs, rubbed his clammy hands on his robes, and knocked. A soft ‘enter’, and he did just that. As he expected, the headmaster was there, along with Prof. Snape. 

  
  


“Please my boy, have a seat.” Dumbledore said, all twinkly eyed and kind. When Harry did so, he smiled and offered a lemon drop. Harry declined, and he spoke softly. “I wished to thank you, for what you did for Ms. Weasley, as well as extend the thanks of Arthur and Molly.” He said, and Harry nodded slowly. “I would also like to… discuss just how you assisted her.” He said, and Harry shrugged softly. 

  
  


“I’ve been working with someone, a very helpful someone, and that was one of the results.” Harry said, as if that explained everything. 

  
  


“Do tell, my boy, how you came to be working with this… someone.” Dumbledore said, it was more of a demand than a request, if Harry was completely honest with himself. 

  
  


“Happened on Halloween, like everything else that happens to me, really.” Harry said, huffing slightly. “It’s like that day is bloody cursed.” He mumbled, before going on. “I have been helped… so very much, and it’s great. I have no pressure to do anything I don’t want to, and I get… well it’s hard to explain, headmaster.” He said, and frowned in thought. 

  
  


“Please, do take your time in doing so.” Dumbledore said, and Harry frowned again, before sitting up. 

  
  


“No, headmaster, I don’t think I will.” Harry said, about to speak again, when he heard his uncle’s voice in his head. 

  
  


_ “He won’t understand immediately, unless he’s caught up on his Spanish, but use my name. Tell him I asked you not to tell anyone.” _ Uncle Vacio said, and Harry nodded softly, and Dumbledore sat up a bit. 

  
“Uncle Vacio asked that I not tell anyone, sir. He prefers to remain nice and… secret.” Harry said, another soft shrug and a gentle smile afterwards. 

  
  


“I must insist, Harry.” Dumbledore said, and at the teens soft head shake, he frowned and locked eyes with Harry. The twinkling blue a way to draw eyes to him, and while he was not a fan of it, sometimes he needed to see into the mind of troubled students. What he saw troubled him, yet he could tell the magic occluding Harry’s mind was not evil. It was prodigiously dark, that was for certain, but not evil. He blinked softly, looking at Harry with a gentle frown. 

  
  


“Very well, Harry.” Dumbledore said, glancing at Snape who nodded and left without so much as a word. “I did not call you here just for an old man's curiosity, however. I wished to assist in your education, in your knowledge of Tom.” He said, getting up and going to the converted wardrobe that held his pensieve. The two spent the next hour in a memory, talking, discussing things. It was there that Harry also studied the headmaster, and the blackness that was sequestered in his decaying arm. He would have to talk to his uncle about that. 

  
~TViH~

  
  


“Withering curse, my dear nephew.” Vacio said, sitting back on a beach chair with Harry, both of them in the Caribbean, because Harry refused to stay in Scotland for the winter. Harry felt kinda bad for saying he was going to his relatives for the winter, then just… fucking off seven  _ thousand _ kilometers away. Though, the view and weather was… brilliant. The sun, the surf, the ah… fellow teenagers. He was glad Vacio had recommended sunglasses, so he wouldn't get caught just… staring for minutes at a time. Not just on the fairer sex, either, that was for sure. 

  
  


“Nasty business, that’s for sure, but nothing you can’t handle.” Vacio said, sipping his overly fruity, overly alcoholic beverage. “Don’t sweat it, though, enjoy the vacation!” He said, beaming brightly. “Remus surely is.” He said, gesturing to the sleeping man, with a book on his face, snoring ever so slightly. 

  
  


Harry simply nodded and leaned back, sighing softly as he did so. The sun was amazing, the vacation as a whole was amazing. He had not known, at least until about two days into the vacation, that Uncle Vacio was his new guardian. The Dursleys? No longer in the picture as far as ‘caring’ for Harry, and that was perfectly alright with the teen. They were enjoying a morning sunrise, when Vacio looked up from the morning paper, and spoke. 

  
  


“Phoenix incoming.” Vacio said, and just after he spoke those words Fawkes appeared. “Good morning, Fawkes.” He said, and the magnificent bird trilled in greeting, before fluttering over to Harry and nuzzling him softly. He opened one of his wings, showing a letter tucked in, and Harry took it, before starting to gently caress the bird’s breast feathers. 

  
  


Harry opened it and frowned softly, before huffing and shaking his head. He put it on the table and went back to giving attention to majestic creature, Vacio taking the letter and simply… burning it. He did not read it, though Harry wouldn’t have minded, but the look on the teen’s face said it all. 

  
  


“Good morning.” Remus said, having not been awake for the sunrise, he needed far more sleep than those infused with The Void. “Oh, what’s Fawkes doing here?” He asked, caressing the Phoenix’s head softly, getting an enjoyed trill from him. 

  
  


“Dumbledore sent a letter, asking where I was, and to come back immediately.” Harry said, shrugging softly before Hedwig came over, nudging his other hand for her own attention. He chuckled and gave it to her, as well as a few strips of meat prepared just for her. Fawkes took some of the fruit that Remus offered, before giving them each a soft trill of thanks, before vanishing in a pillar of fire. He reappeared, about ten feet away from them, perched on a wide tiki torch, to enjoy the sun as it rose. 

  
  


“Well, alright then.” Vacio said, before turning to Harry, clapping his hands together once. “SO! Withering curses!” He said, before going into the process of how to take care of them, with minimal to no damage. 

  
  


~TViH~

  
  
  


Harry sighed as he stepped into the great hall, well just outside of the great hall. He had only taken himself, Uncle Vacio had taken care of everything else, so it was just him in his robes. He had a soft tan, he’d be getting a better one over the summer, but he was feeling so good. He walked into the great hall, nobody really noticing him, at least student wise. Just as he sat down there was a soft clearing of a throat behind him, and he looked to see his head of house standing there. 

  
  


“Care to tell me, Mr. Potter, just where you have been the last two weeks?” McGonagall asked, her tone clipped and far from genial. 

  
  


“Uh… I was on vacation, professor.” Harry started, turning to better look at her. “My name was on the going home list.” He said, and her eyes narrowed ever so softly. 

  
  


“Yes, it was, however… we were under the impression you were with your family, Mr. Potter.” McGonagall said, and Harry nodded. 

  
  


“I was, Ma’am.” Harry started. “I just wasn’t with my  _ relatives. _ ” He spat out that last word with such malice that her eyes widened just a bit. “I was with Remus, and my Uncle Vacio.” He said, and she huffed. 

  
  


“I see.” McGonagall said, before relaxing and sighing just a bit. “My apologies, Mr. Potter, it seems I was misinformed, and mislead. Either way, the headmaster would like to see you, if you would follow me.” She said, and Harry sighed, before nodding and standing. 

  
  


On the way to the headmaster’s office, they spoke about his holiday, and she was surprised he had been so far away. McGonagall noted his tan, however, and just how happy he looked as well, so she was pleased with that. She spoke the password when they got to the office, and both made their way up. As per usual, Prof. Snape was there, along with a rather sour looking headmaster. 

  
  


“Mr. Potter.” Dumbledore said, just as said teenager sat down. “Do you know much trouble you caused us?” He asked, his tone sharp and disappointed. Harry, in no real mood to deal with that kind of guilt trip attitude, shrugged softly. 

  
  


“I don’t, be a mate and tell me?” Harry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, which surprised the three adults in the room. It also got a soft trill of amusement from the waking phoenix, and a snort from the hat. 

  
  


“There were quite a few order members who had to take time out of their busy schedule to look for you, families of their own they could have been spending time with.” Dumbledore said, laying the guilt on thick, but Harry had encouragement from Vacio and Sirius. “What do you have to say for yourself?” He asked. Harry, once again, shrugged. 

  
  


“That its not my problem that you made them look for me?” Harry said, tilting his head. “I went to spend time with my family, far away from the bloody cold winter’s of Scotland.” He said, leaning back and crossing his arms. “I actually enjoyed myself, and even Fawkes knew where I was, and I was plenty safe.” He said, and the bird nodded and trilled in amused agreement. 

  
  


“This… lack of respect of yours is getting out of hand, Mr. Potter.” Dumbledore said, and Harry huffed and shrugged, once again. “It will be two weeks detention with Prof. Snape, and one hun-” He started, but was cut off by the two other adults in the room. 

  
  


“You are  _ not _ taking a hundred points from my house, Albus!” McGonagall said, furiously glaring at the man. “Mr. Potter raises a very valid point. He said he was leaving, and even had permission from his guardians. There is no reason for such punishments!” She nearly screamed, and he blinked softly in surprise. 

  
  


“I must agree with Minerva, on top of the fact that though he has been less than… respectful, Headmaster, Mr. Potter is a teenager, and would surely become worse with what you think is… discipline.” Snape said, and Harry gave a gentle nod, not believing he was agreeing with Prof. Snape, then again they were kind of on neutral grounds right now. 

  
  


“How about we have a bit of an exchange.” Harry piped up, all three adults looking at him as he stood and made his way over to the headmaster. “I learned a few things while on vacation, you see. Uncle Vacio is… very talented.” He said, taking Dumbledore’s withered hand gently into his own, making the elder male look at him bewildered. 

  
  


“Mr. Potter, I highly doubt this… ‘Uncle’ Vacio has the knowledge needed to-” Dumbledore paused in speech as his hand started to turn back to it’s normal color, while Harry spoke softly in parseltongue while dragging his wand along the decayed skin. 

  
  


“There you go!” Harry said, smiling brightly. “One hand back into commission, and I think my little vacation can be overlooked.” He said, not entirely humble, but not being insufferable about it. 

  
  


“I…” Dumbledore started, looking at his hand, as if he had never been cursed. 

  
  


“Off with you, Mr. Potter.” McGonagall said, and Harry nodded and left without another word. 

  
  


“It seems this… Uncle of his is rather gifted, Headmaster.” Snape drawled out, getting a slow, soft look from said man. “I think it would be best to… leave Mr. Potter be when it comes to him, hmm?” He said, and Dumbledore nodded, looking back at his hand… he had a lot to think about. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> That is all he wrote. There was other stuff I wanted to do, but I honestly forgot, and I kind of just lost the spark to write on anyway. Either way, Hope it can be somewhat enjoyed. Until my next one, as always, please review if at all possible. Thank you. 


End file.
